This is not an undertaking for the impatient. Smoking a brisket is certainly not difficult if you can multitask... and stay up late to get it started... and get up again in the wee hours of the morning to keep the fire going... and wait about fourteen hours to get your first taste of this thing. Don't be scared. You can do it.


Ingredients:

Note: All ingredients are estimates as you will never find a brisket that is the same size twice. Also I don't actually measure anything.

• 12 lbs. brisket
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup cracked pepper
• ¼ cup granulated garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 4 cups apple juice

Tools:

• Sharp knife (don't mess around with this one)
• Heavy duty tongs or spatulas (this is a heavy piece of meat)
• 2-inch tall drip pan or roasting pan with rack big enough to hold your brisket and the liquids
• Plastic wrap (optional)
• Heavy foil

Wood/Fuel:

1 giant pile of wood — ½ apple wood and ½ oak or hickory (or a combination). You can use any of these woods or any combination of these woods, but I have found apple wood provides the best flavor while splitting it with a harder wood slows the burn and makes it easier to control the temperature. You can also do this with charcoal and wood chips or a pellet grill. I'm old school. I use a Char-Griller smoker.

Prep time:

30 minutes

Cook time:

14 hours (about 1 hour and 10 minutes per pound)

Servings:

Depends how steady your carving hand is (maybe a pound a person if it's the main course)

Let's do this...

Prepare the rub

Mix the salt, pepper and garlic in small container (I use a lid and just shake it).

Preparing the brisket

Defrost your brisket if necessary. This will take most of the night or day in a refrigerator. Sharpen your knife. No, it's not fine. Sharpen your knife. Cutting fat is dangerous if you can't slice through it easily. Place your brisket on a cutting board with the fat cap up. That's the big giant slab of fat on the brisket for those of you who've never dealt with a piece of meat this big. Trim off the excess fat, leaving about a quarter of an inch thick layer. Score the fat cap into two-inch squares and rub the entire brisket with a light coating of olive oil. Cover both sides of the brisket with a solid coating of the rub and work it into the scoring. You may need to make more rub. This will depend on how much you like salt. You can now wrap plastic around the meat and place in a refrigerator allowing the rub to soak in, or move straight to cooking. I don't wait. I like to sleep periodically through this.

Preparing your smoker or grill

If you're using a grill, set up your grill for indirect cooking by building your charcoal or wood stack off to one side. If you have a gas grill use a smoking tube or put your wood chips in a small metal or foil container. Light the fuel and wait for it to be ready to cook. Add your wood chips (soaked) to the coals or a pan of water per your personal preferences. If you don't know how to do any of this you have much more reading to do before moving on. I recommend the little "Search" field at the top of this site. If you're using a smoker, build your fire in the fire box using half apple and half hardwood. With a fire box you don't need any special tricks here. You'll get plenty of smoke from the fire. Once the fire is burning evenly without assistance you are ready to start smoking. Either set-up should be at about 225°F.

Smoking the brisket

If you're using a grill, place the brisket fat side up on the rack with a drip pan below next to the coals. Cover with the lid and bring the temperature back up to 225°F. If your grill doesn't have a temperature gauge, use a meat thermometer. If you're using a smoker, place the brisket fat side up on the rack with a drip pan below or on the rack above your roasting pan. Close your lid. This is happening.

Smoke it low and slow

Monitor the temperature of your grill or smoker. Check it every hour or so, staying as close to 225°F as possible. Do not open the lid unless you need to add more charcoal or wood chips to maintain temperature or the smoke. This isn't an issue if you've got a smoker. Just add wood as necessary to the fire box.

Cook through the stall — the Texas Crutch

When the internal temperature of the brisket reaches about 150°F, surface evaporation will cause the internal temperature to plateau. This is called "the stall." It happens in the last two hours or so of cooking. We'll solve this with the "Texas Crutch." Drain all but about 1/2 cup of the brisket drippings and place the meat into the pan (you'll need to remove the roasting rack). Add the cider vinegar and apple juice into the pan. Add water if necessary to bring the water level to about halfway up the pan. Cover the brisket and tightly wrap two sheets of heavy aluminum foil over the top edges of the pan. Bring the grill or smoker temperature back up to 225°F. Continue cooking for two hours.

Test internal temperature

When the internal temperature of the brisket is 195°F, pull the pan from the grill or smoker.

Walk Away

Resist the temptation to dive in. Let the brisket rest (still covered) for about 30 minutes so that the juices can re-absorb and redistribute. Don't worry. This thing's too big to get cold quickly.

Eat

Cut the brisket in the pan when you're brave enough to risk it. This pan is hot. You can also remove the meat from the pan and cut it on a butcher block, but I prefer to keep the brisket in the liquid.

Share with friends and brag for weeks.



Close-up image: Mike/Flickr | License: Creative Commons
Smoking image ©2010-2017 Rum Runners. All rights reserved.

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner! How about trying something a little different this year! Here's what you'll need:

INGREDIENTS

* 1 3-4 lb. flat cut corned beef brisket, 1/4 inch fat cap
* 1 cup of your favorite fruit-based barbecue sauce
* 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

PREPARATION

Remove the corned beef brisket from its packaging and discard the spice packet, if any. Start smoker with your preferred wood (try hickory or pecan) and preheat to 250-275 degrees F. Put the corned beef brisket directly on the grill, fat side up, and cook for 2 hours. Meanwhile, combine the barbecue sauce and the mustard in a bowl and mix well.

Pour half of the barbecue sauce-mustard mixture in the bottom of a disposable aluminum pan. After smoking for 2 hours, transfer the brisket to the pan, fat-side up. Pour the remainder of the barbecue sauce-mustard mixture over the top of the brisket and use a brush to spread the sauce evenly. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Return the brisket to the grill and continue to cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the the internal temperature reaches 185-190 degrees F. Allow the meat to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1/4-inch slices and serve immediately. It's great with some extra sauce spooned over it! Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, if there are any!

Once you taste corned beef like this, you'll never go back to boiled again!

"A sandwich without meat isn't a sandwich...it's just lonely bread"

Learn more about the show here.


Unless you're Sven

1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Clove Garlic peeled
1 Tablespoon Worcetershire Sauce
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Basil Leaves
1 Beef Chuck Roast
1 Cup Wine Vinegar
2 Cups applewood chips

Directions:

Insert the tip of a knife in meat and push garlic into meat. Combine oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, basil and pepper.

Place meat in a plastic bag; add marinade. Refrigerate overnight. Soak chips in water for 30 minutes; drain.

Prepare fire - when coals have grayed over, arrange around drip pan and add chips to coals.

Drain meat, reserving marinade. Place roast on grill over drip pan. Grill 25 minutes, covered.

Brush occasionally with marinade. Turn roast, grill an additional 20 minutes for medium. Remove garlic before serving.

Think you know a lot about steak? I'm sure most meatatarians out there believe they know everything there is to know about meat. Well it's time to put your sirloin where your mouth is! MMMMM...sirloin. Sorry got distracted.

Anyway, our friends at Recipe Star came up with a little quiz to test your knowledge of all things steak.

Don't worry, it's not like you'll become a vegetarian if you score low. Or will you? (insert evil laugh here)

GOOD LUCK!

Click here to take the quiz.

Cheesy Italian Beef Bake

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 jar chunky garden style tomato pasta sauce
1 package cream cheese - softened
1/3 cup sour cream
2 cups original Bisquick mix
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 F.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet then drain. Return the ground beef to the skillet and stir in the pasta sauce.

Mix the sour cream, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp of the Italian seasoning in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Pour half of the beef mixture into a greased, 9 X 13 baking dish. Then spread an even layer of the cheese mixture onto the beef and add the remaining ground beef.

Stir 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the Bisquick mix and milk in a bowl until well blended. Pour over the final layer of ground beef.

Bake uncovered at 350 F for approx. 30 minutes or until the Bisquick is a light golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning and salt/pepper to taste. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Taco Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 package taco seasoning
1 jar salsa
Canned crescent rolls

Corn chips
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream

Heat oven to 350 F.

Brown the ground beef and onions. Stir in the taco mix and salsa. Mix well.

Press crescent rolls in bottom and up sides of a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle broken corn chips on top. Spread ground beef mixture on top.

Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread with a layer of sour cream and top with the cheese.

Bake for 15 more minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly!

Beef, Tomato and Bow Tie Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked bow tie pasta
4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the ground beef along with the garlic in a large skillet. Drain.

Continue to cook over medium heat while stirring in the tomatoes, salt and pepper;
stirring occasionally. Add pasta, toss and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed French Bread

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 loaf French bread
1 package taco seasoning
1 can nacho cheese soup
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 F.

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat.

Cut off the top of the French bread to form a tunnel and pull the bread out of the middle. (Save the bread top as you'll need it later).

Return the ground beef to the skillet and stir in the taco seasoning, nacho cheese soup and crumbled bread that was pulled from the loaf. Pour this mixture into the shell of the bread loaf and cover it with the cheese. Place the bread top back onto the loaf and wrap it in aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 F for approx 15-20 minutes. Let it stand for a few minutes, then slice into individual servings.